Casual coke use ended with Edith battling addiction

A SOCIAL worker who spiralled into heavy use of heroin and crack cocaine has warned of the dangers for women.

- BY SEAN MURPHY

Edith Donohoe spoke out just months after two separate reports warned of rocketing cocaine use amongst females across Ireland.

The Health Research Board recently revealed figures to show cocaine is the country's main problem drug with 40% of all drug addiction cases receiving treatment for cocaine.

The same report warned of a 426% increase in females receiving cocaine treatment since 2017, while the HSE claimed the number of women - especially young women - some 1,387 females sought help in 2023 compared to 284 six years earlier.

Ms Donohoe, who is a social worker at the Lighthouse Homeless Cafe in Dublin, has revealed to women's residential rehabilitation centre and charity Tiglin how cocaine addicts hide their drug dependence.